Hyoyeon’s POV

Yuri being attracted to girls is not news to me anymore. Few years ago, she asked me if it's possible to be attracted to girls. Back then, I hadn't given it some thought. The industry may or may not be accepting back then so it was understandable to have some doubts and fears on such a topic. When Yuri was having a hard time accepting that reality, I had been there for her. Our friendship was never that clingy but I would stay at the foot of her bed until she stopped crying and eventually fell asleep. From that moment, Yuri and I’s friendship has always been solid.

 

Flashback- Tiffany’s Birthday 2020

It has been our yearly tradition to gather as a group every 1st of August for Tiffany’s birthday, and to celebrate the anniversary as well. This year Tiffany is staying in Korea for a long time, so that’s another thing to celebrate. Some of our SM friends are here so it's like a mini-reunion. Tonight’s theme is black, and everyone dressed up so well. Dang, my friends look so good. 

The night has been long and the only ones left are the girls. There’s a lot of things we need to catch up on. Everyone is also updating about their current activities. We have been drinking wine for hours. Until Tiffany suggested we finish one bottle of tequila and then the party's over. After a few shots, Sooyoung and Taeyeon are as red as a tomato. Aish~ these alcoholic trash. Tiffany, Yuri, and Sunny are drinking continuously, with a pass. It seems like they are competing on who will finish the last drop of tequila. Is this water to them? Hahaha. YoonA, Seohyun, and I stopped drinking or we drink every 2 rounds because we have a schedule for tomorrow. And I am also a little bit tipsy. I am not a huge fan of tequila.

 

Tiffany is the first one to give up. This is hilarious to watch. Tiffany is drunk, not tipsy but drunk. Happy Birthday, Fany-yah! HAHAHA

 

“Yah!! I need to pee, someone join me or I’ll stumble on the floor!” Tiffany asked while waving her hand. Seohyun and YoonA are too immersed in their conversation to notice Tiffany, Sunny and I pretended to not hear anything, well I’m too lazy to stand up.

 

“Girrrrrls~~ Hellooooo~~” Tiffany waved once again.

“Yah, Fany-ah! Go by yourself!” Sooyoung said, leaning on the wall. Taeyeon shrieked beside her. 

“I’ll go with you! I need to use the restroom anyway!” Yuri stood up and then extended her arm for Tiffany to grab. They then left the room. 

 

As I was watching the two girls leave, Taeyeon stood up and sat beside me. Taeyeon and I have always had this awkwardness around us but that didn't hinder us from becoming friends. We were on two opposite poles, but we made it work. There are days where I wonder why we are like this. We were never rock solid but I can spend a day in a cube with Taeyeon alone.

 

“Yah, Tiffany is drunk!” Taeyeon said. I laughed at her remarks then turned around to face her. Taeyeon’s face is all red, she’s smiling so wide that her eyes are almost invisible. 

“And you’re not?”

“I’m not.” She pouted while shaking her head no, “Why aren’t you drinking?”

I sighed, “I have promotions tomorrow!” 

 

Taeyeon nodded, “Do you want to have dinner tomorrow?” she was fidgeting. She was playing with her fingers as she waited for my answer. I chuckled before looking at her with my brows furrowed. W-what? That is so out of the blue. Taeyeonnie, kyeopta!

 

“I-am,, I-ah- I asked the other girls, none of them are free! I-I was planning on cooking at home. I kinda missed everyone’s company” 

 

Taeyeon has her head down as she finishes her sentence. Is she embarrassed? I smirked at her and nudged on her side, “I’ll tell you if I finish early”

 

“Great!” Taeyeon looked at me with her cheekiest smile. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I am feeling something weird on my stomach.

 

Yuri and Tiffany came back, but this time they are not hand-in-hand. Yuri’s face looks so pale, as if she had seen a ghost. On the other hand, Tiffany was smiling like an idiot. Yuri sat down beside me while Tiffany sat beside Sooyoung and clung onto her. 

 

“Hyo, can you call a cab now? I don’t think I can drive,” Yuri said, fidgeting. Her face is still as pale as earlier. She’s not looking at me directly and there is a hint of foreign emotion in her voice, “and I want to go home.”

 

Without second thoughts, I told her okay. I heard Taeyeon asked her if she’s okay, which she answered with the infamous I’m just tired line. As I was fixing my things, I could feel a pair of eyes burrowing onto my back. I turned back and saw Taeyeon looking at me. I am not good at reading people hence I cannot really understand the emotions her eyes are telling me. I wanted to ask her why but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. So I just smiled at her and nodded. 

“Girls, Yuri and I will go ahead. I have a schedule tomorrow, and well Yuri is my housemate.” I announced it to everyone. I was greeted by boos and questions, which I just laughed at. “Yuri, let’s go!” 

 

I glanced at Yuri, and saw her and Tiffany looking at each other’s eyes. Tiffany’s eyes look apologetic and Yuri’s eyes are comforting. Yuri nodded at her before exiting the room.

 

What the hell happened back there?

 

-

“Yul, you okay?” 

Yuri was quiet the entire ride home. Her eyes were glued to the window of the car and not a single word came out of the entire ride. Yuri sat back down on the couch, burying her face on the pillows surrounding her. She let out a very deep sigh and faced me.

 

“You won’t judge me right?” Yuri asked, looking directly into my eyes. 

I smiled at her and said, “It depends, if that is something disgusting, then yes, I will!” I answered, trying to make the mood slightly lighter.

 

Yuri gave me a weak smile and nodded.

“Have you ever thought of being attracted to girls?” 

I did not expect that. Tears were forming in Yuri’s eyes as she asked. To be honest, I haven’t really thought about it. It's just… I Don't know, normal for me, I guess? I see nothing wrong but the people do. I walked towards Yuri and sat beside her. I didn't know what to do so I gave her an awkward pat on the back. As soon as she felt my hands on her back, she looked at me with her famous ‘what are you doing?’ face. We laughed at each other. But I gave her a reassuring smile.

 

Once we calmed down, Yuri sighed and leaned back on the couch. I mirrored her actions and looked at the ceiling. The room was filled with the whispers of the air whooshing outside, hitting our windows.

 

“Tiffany kissed me, and I kissed her harder,” Yuri whispered. As soon as I heard, I looked at Yuri. She met my eyes and smiled. I don’t think she’s ready to push through the topic so I let it go. I just gave her a reassuring smile and held her hand. She smiled at me as if she’s saying thank you.

 

“Yah, why aren’t you going to Taeyeonnie's tomorrow?” I asked, as I let go of her hand.

 

“What are you talking about?” Yuri looked at me with confusion in her eyes.

 

“Taeyeon invited us for dinner at her house tomorrow, she said she asked everyone.”

 

“Really? I didn’t get an invite.”

That’s absurd. Taeyeon probably invited all of us, “Kwon Yuri, you probably don’t remember”

“Yah, there may be tequila in my system but I can still remember what happened and what didn’t happen. Taeyeon inviting me is one of them.” Yuri stated as a matter of fact-ly.

 

“She invited me.”

 

Yuri looked at me and smirked. “Huh, Taeyeon, huh”

 

I am so confused. Taeyeon said she invited all of us. 

 

“Shut up, Tiffany!” I said. Yuri stood up trying to grab me by the neck but before she could reach me I ran as fast as I could towards my bedroom, laughing.

 

Present - 2022

 

That night, Tiffany kissed her. She told me the full story of that night when we got home. I can’t believe she’s about to tell the girls. Does Tiffany remember? Is Tiffany aware? I glanced at Tiffany and saw her smile fade and her brow creased. I don’t think she remembers. Is Yuri gonna name her?

 

Yuri’s POV

I am so nervous. I saved Hyoyeon hence I am inclined to tell the story of what happened.

 

Flashback - earlier that night, at the CR

 

Yuri’s POV

 

“Yah~ Fany-ah, hurry!” 

 

“I’m donee! Wait!”

 

Tiffany exited the bathroom. Tiffany is so drunk, she can barely open her eyes. 

 

“Yah, stay here. I’m just gonna pee”

 

Tiffany nodded. I entered the loo and peed. When I was done, Tiffany was still standing where I left her. Her head against the wall, eyes half-lidded. What surprised me was she was now holding another bottle of tequila on her left hand. 

 

I laughed at her and asked, “How much tequila did you drink?” I asked, taking the bottle away from the grasp of the girl in front of me.

 

Tiffany looked up, and smirked at me. A few seconds later, her gaze fell upon my lips. She again smirked.

 

“Not much, just enough to notice…” she brought her fingers on my lips while staring at them, as if studying them. “yah    ~ does your lips always look that kissable?”

 

I froze upon hearing the question. Tiffany, w-what? I stared at her as she stared at me. 

 

Her finger trailed from my lips to my cheeks. I felt her tiptoed as she brought her face closer to mine. I cannot move. I have millions of thought running through my mind but not a single specific one to make her move and stop her.

 

Within seconds, I felt her lips brush against mine. It was a soft kiss and she immediately pulled away, she smiled at me while her forehead rested on mine. 

 

“Yul, can I do it again?” Tiffany whispered. This time I smiled at her and pulled back. I placed both hands on her cheeks and pulled her closer to mine. I kissed her properly this time. I have no intention of stopping her earlier. I don’t know if it's alcohol, but I feel something strange happening on my stomach. I feel my heart beating so hard as if it's gonna break lose any minute. 

 

When we ran out of air, we pulled away from each other. Tiffany looked at me, and I just realized what I did. 

 

“Fany, I am so sorry! I- dont know what I was thinking,” I said.

 

Fany gave me huge smile. She’s probably so drunk that she’s not gonna remember this at all. I am panicking internally.

 

“Hey, its okay. I-uhmm- I asked.” Fany gave me a smile once again, “and besides, it’s not like we like each other like that”

 

“Yeah,,”

 

“Let’s go back?”

 

I nodded. Tiffany went back to the group, smiling so big. I soon followed after her, with her words repeating in my mind. She’s right, it’s not like we like each other.

 

Present

 

I sighed, and chuckled.

 

“So yeah, when we got home that night, Hyoyeon and I kissed.” 

 

I may have altered the story a little bit. I told them what happened just leaving the part where I kissed Tiffany and added that one part where I “kissed Hyoyeon on the couch because I was curious”. Hyoyeon was sitting beside me with open. Tricked her.

 

“YAH KWON YURI!!! WHAT THE HECK!!!” Hyoyeon screamed beside me, still in a state of disbelief. The girls were laughing so hard. YoonA, Sooyoung, Sunny, and Seohyun were on the ground laughing their asses off. I glanced over at Tiffany’s and saw her confused… or is that a frown? When she noticed that I was looking at her, she gave me her famous eye smile and nodded. Does she remember?

 

Honestly, I could've just told the truth. But I am not sure if Tiffany remembers and I don't want to put her in a state that would make her uncomfortable.

 

“YAH! THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED.” Hyoyeon was still trying to clear up her name. I looked at the raging woman beside me, and laughed. “YAH YURI, I DID NOT KISS YOU,, YAH EVERYONE, I DIDN'T, I SWEAR!”

 

I am laughing so hard that I feel like I am running out of air. 

 

“Yah, everyone, since Hyoyeon cheated and did not tell the truth, make her drink three shots!!!” Sunny said in between laughter. 

 

Hyoyeon just sighed in defeat. Aish~ this girl. She would rather drink than tell the truth. While everyone is in a fit of laughter, one of us is not amused. She looks like she sobered up when she heard the story. She was trying to give out a smile but her face was betraying her. She is looking at Hyoyeon with this particular emotion in her face. 

 

Our kid leader, Taeyeon.

 

Is she pissed? She looked at me, no… she glared at me. 

 

Daebak~ our kid leader is gonna kill her. I better sleep with both my eyes open. I nudged at Hyoyeon, and whispered, “I think she’s gonna kill me”

 

Hyoyeon stopped laughing and looked at me before carefully looking at Taeyeon.

“Yeah, stop whispering! I might think you guys are in a relationship or something.” Sooyoung said. God, this girl’s mouth.

 

“Ikr, I am totally shipping you two!!!” Yoona said laughing.

 

I saw Taeyeon glared at Yoona and Sooyoung.

 

Yah, Kim Hyoyeon. You’re dead.

---

Preview:

"Kwon Yuri, huh?" she scoffed as soon as I entered the room.

"That... is a misunderstanding! I didn't know Yuri-"

"...that Yuri is gonna tell that story. Right, I get it, Hyo!"

 

"Are you... jealous?"

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AN: HYOTAE is building up huhu thanks guys for the support! See you next chapter!